Israel Tennis & Education Centers (ITEC) and Legacy Youth Tennis and Education announced formal plans for teams of children from Israel and Philadelphia to participate in a cross-cultural exchange program in July and August.
The initiative, part of the ITEC’s “Children to Children Tennis Diplomacy Exchange” program, brings together small groups of young tennis players from the Israel Tennis & Education Centers and Legacy Youth Tennis and Education through a virtual pen pal, tennis and cultural exchange program. Through email writing, photo sharing and live video calls these young tennis players have learned about each other’s countries, cultures, tennis strategies and techniques. The program culminates with a select number of participants having the opportunity to travel to their pen pal’s country this summer.
It all started during the summer of 2014 with a visit by a group of ITEC children to the Legacy facility and continued throughout the past year via an online pen pal program. It has included structured monthly themes with specialized readings and worksheets. Pen pals learn about their peer’s family history, cultural history, food, dance, customs and tennis techniques through live video feeds.
Both non-profits share the same important mission of teaching life skills to disadvantaged youth through the medium of tennis. Legacy Youth Tennis and Education has been providing tennis instruction, educational programming and positive opportunities to thousands of Philadelphia children annually since its founding in 1952. Similarly, the Israel Tennis & Education Centers has been improving the lives of Israeli youth of all backgrounds since its first of 14 centers opened in 1976. Through its social impact programs, over 20,000 children from under-resourced areas of the country are served every year.
Visits by the Philadelphia team to Israel in July and from the Israeli team to Philadelphia in August will include home stays with families, participation in tennis camps, visiting and learning about each nation’s important historical sites. The depth of the program demonstrates both organizations’ commitment to empowering young people, especially those from under-resourced families and communities, to achieve success as individuals and as active, responsible citizens through innovative tennis, education, life skills, and leadership development programming.